Why Were There Five More?

Early the next morning, Qingbi slipped out of the palace with the maid responsible for purchasing supplies, just as she had planned the day before.

Consort Fang was no longer as helpless as when she had first learned the news. After Qingbi left, she began dressing Jiang Yingcheng herself.

The little girl was as adorable as a snow sprite. With just a few simple touches, she looked like a child blessed with good fortune.

She dressed the little girl in a pale pink padded jacket with a ring of white fur around the collar. Paired with an ivory cloak, it made her look a whole circle rounder.

Jiang Yingcheng raised her arms, feeling how much heavier her jacket was than yesterday's. Her little face filled with indecision. "It's a bit heavy."

She was going to sneak off to play with her imperial father today, but her mother had dressed her in one more layer than Sister Qingbi had. Moving around felt rather awkward.

Consort Fang hesitated too.

It was a good thing that the little girl wanted to go play with Emperor Mingze.

Judging by Emperor Mingze's reaction yesterday, he did not dislike having the little girl close to him. One might even say he rather enjoyed it.

If the little girl could build a good relationship with Emperor Mingze through this, then even if Consort Fang lost her struggle against her elder sister someday, the child would have another path of retreat.

But there must not be the slightest trace of Consort Fang's involvement in the little girl's visits to Emperor Mingze.

Otherwise, it would look as though she were using a child to compete for favor. Not only would that earn Emperor Mingze's disgust, but if things went badly, it might even ruin the little girl's future...

Perhaps she should remove one of the thinner layers so the little girl could move more easily?

As she pondered this, a palace servant hurried over and reported in an excited whisper, "Eunuch Changshun from His Majesty's side is here!"

As the servant spoke, Eunuch Changshun was already standing straight at the courtyard entrance, waiting for Consort Fang to invite him in.

Consort Fang froze. Without time to think further, she hurriedly lifted Jiang Yingcheng down from the couch and instructed, "Quickly, invite him in."

The servant turned and hurried back out at a trot.

While Consort Fang was distracted tidying her appearance, Jiang Yingcheng landed on the floor and scampered after the servant on her short little legs.

As she ran, she raised her voice and called out breathlessly, "Uncle, you're here~"

Eunuch Changshun quickly picked up his pace too, smiling as he approached. "Oh, my little princess, you mustn't call this servant that. You'll shorten this servant's life!"

Jiang Yingcheng had no breath to spare and focused solely on running. The moment she reached Eunuch Changshun, she threw her arms around his thigh, tipped up her little face, and gave him a great big smile. "Heeheehee."

Eunuch Changshun took Jiang Yingcheng's hand and led her over to Consort Fang.

He had come on Emperor Mingze's orders to bring the little princess to Xianyang Palace for the day. Delighted, Consort Fang entrusted the child to him.

Before leaving, Eunuch Changshun also asked in passing, "Did last night's dinner suit your taste, Your Highness?"

Consort Fang replied hesitantly, "It certainly did. Thank you for your concern."

Yesterday, a great boulder had weighed on her heart. Although the little girl's warmth had later soothed her, the entire meal had still tasted like wax, and she had muddled through it in a daze.

Thinking back now, there did indeed seem to have been far more meat dishes than usual.

Consort Fang abruptly turned her gaze to Jiang Yingcheng, who was sweetly wheedling Eunuch Changshun.

A seemingly absurd yet perfectly reasonable thought suddenly surfaced.

Could it be...

Before she could work it out, Eunuch Changshun bade her farewell and led the little girl outside.

The same sedan chair from yesterday stood outside the courtyard. Its bright yellow curtains looked even more striking in daylight. Eunuch Changshun guided Jiang Yingcheng inside, and the chair slowly set off toward Xianyang Palace.

Consort Fang could not help tightening her grip on her handkerchief.

Serving a sovereign was like keeping company with a tiger.

Though this could open up endless possibilities, it also meant the little girl would face greater dangers.

Her gaze remained fixed on the sedan chair until it disappeared from sight.

Inside the sedan chair, Changshun had thoughtfully prepared plenty of sweets for the little princess, along with several little toys children her age enjoyed, so she would not grow too bored along the way.

Bamboo Cloud Pavilion was a long way from Xianyang Palace. On his way over, Changshun had thought that if everything the little princess had said in her thoughts proved true, Consort Fang would not be far from promotion to noble consort.

After all, His Majesty intended to have the little princess visit his palace more often. Spending so much time on the road every time would ultimately be rather inconvenient.

After another good while, the sedan chair stopped outside Xianyang Palace.

The instant the chair touched the ground, Jiang Yingcheng shot out like a little cannonball, and the courtyard filled with soft, sweet laughter.

"Imperial Father~" Jiang Yingcheng called as she ran, her voice sweet and babyish.

Her inner voice, however, had cut loose completely and had nothing whatsoever to do with being demure.

[Beautiful Imperial Father, Chengcheng is here!]

But the moment she ran into the hall she had visited yesterday, she abruptly stopped.

Just like yesterday, five elderly men in official robes stood before her beautiful imperial father. Despite all the people inside, the room was utterly quiet. Before she entered, there had not even been the slightest sound.

Jiang Yingcheng stood rooted to the spot, a little at a loss.

[Why were there five more?]

Although five uncles had come yesterday too, she had arrived first, after all. She had even felt a little proud to be playing host.

Today, however, her beautiful imperial father had already been with the uncles for a while. She was not sure whether she would interfere with his important business.

Jiang Yanchuan took in every bit of Jiang Yingcheng's reaction. He savored the little girl's embarrassment with interest for a while before finally saying with an unhurried chuckle, "Come here to your imperial father."

Jiang Yingcheng pattered over.

Jiang Yanchuan bent down himself, intending to lift the little girl onto the couch as he had yesterday.

But the moment he reached out, he noticed something amiss.

The little girl's belly bulged. She had clearly stuffed something inside her clothes.

Seeing that her imperial father had discovered what she was hiding over her belly, Jiang Yingcheng began to giggle.

Standing in the open space before Jiang Yanchuan, she pulled the items out one by one and laid them all on his lap as though presenting treasures.

They were all little snacks she had gathered from the sedan chair.

Jiang Yingcheng's eyes curved into crescents. "Eat, Imperial Father~"

[Chengcheng found all of these in the sedan chair. Chengcheng didn't sneak even one bite~]

Jiang Yanchuan's movements paused briefly. He lowered his eyes and looked for a long while.

The sweets nearly covered his lap.

Changshun had always known exactly where to draw the line. Worried that the child might get cavities, he would not have prepared too many sweets. What lay on Jiang Yanchuan's lap was probably everything that had been in the chair.

She loved these little pastries so much, yet she had managed to refrain from eating even one.

Without a change in expression, Jiang Yanchuan moved all the pastries onto the table beside him, then lifted the little girl up beside him. He pushed the refreshments prepared for him within her reach. "You eat too, Chengcheng."

Jiang Yingcheng immediately broke into an even brighter smile.

[Oh, oh, oh! Chengcheng really does love Beautiful Imperial Father best!]